Better than ever

Having 11 speeds is great, but if you ask anyone who's descended with the new Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 groupset what their favorite feature is, you'll hear a resounding 'the brakes!' We have to concur with the consensus on this -- the Dura-Ace BR-9000 Brake Calipers are the best that Shimano has ever made.

For the Dura-Ace BR-9000 Brake Calipers, Shimano started from the ground up, and the result is a revelation. Finally using a 'true' dual-pivot design, BR-9000 deviates from the Shimano legacy of the mounting bolt doubling as a second pivot. Instead, 9000 has a rear-mounting plate with a center bolt for frame attachment. The brake arms now reside symmetrically over the wheel, and work independent of the mounting plate because of an integrated rolling cam. Shimano kept the cable stop off to the side, but with the new dual-pivot design, any cable pull applies an equal tension to both arms. Taking a step even further, the arms operate on a twin bearing system that drastically reduces pivot friction, and thus makes brake application from the levers a light, predictable, and powerful experience. In fact, Shimano makes the claim that BR-9000 has 10% more power in the caliper than their 7900 counterparts.

The arm placement is now closer to the rim, which, when coupled with an equal pull on each side of the rim, drastically increases modulation. Actuation from the levers is lighter than ever, and with Shimano's new low-friction, polymer-coated BC-9000 cables, you can expect a braking experience unlike anything Shimano has offered before. And for all of you running larger tires, Shimano will also be producing a thinner brake pad option to accommodate up to 28mm tires.

Lighter operation, stronger modulation, and an aesthetic design that's unmistakably Dura-Ace, the BR-9000 is as good as Shimano gets. The Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 Brake Calipers are available in one size and one color. The calipers are only available as a pair and are recommended for use with the Shimano ST-9000 STI Levers.